Fluid pressure actuator



May 18, 1954 H. w. BOTELER 2,678,662

FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 24, 1950 INVENTOR.

l l enry W. Boteler ATTORNEY May 18, 1 H. w. B-OTELER 2,678,662

FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATOR Filed Aug. 24, 1950 Z 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l5 l? 29 2? [Ta /6 I6 b 86 as Fig. 3

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ATTORNEY y 18, 1954 H. w. BOTELER 2,678,662

FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATOR Filed Aug. 24, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR.

genry W. Bore ler ATTORNEY y 13, 1954 H. w. BOTELER 2,678,662

FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATOR Filed Aug. 24, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

Henry W. Bofeler BY Patented May 18, 1954 FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATOR Henry W. Boteler,

East Greenwich, R. 1., assignmto Grinnell Corporation, Providence, It. 1., a

corporation of Delaware Application August 24, 1950, Serial No. 181,241

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in fluid pressure actuators. More especially it has to do with actuators of the type disclosed in the Fitch Patent No. 2,478,575 of August 9, 1949.

The actuator of the Fitch patent has many desirable characteristics. It has an over-all diametrica1 dimension only a little larger than the diameter of the area on which the fluid pressure is efiective. It has no packing glands or stufiing boxes to prevent the leakage of pressure around its moving parts, hence it can be operated with a minimum of friction loss. It is compact, easy to assemble and disassemble and is highly efficient. However, the actuator of the Fitch patent is so organized that if the cover plate is attached directly to a valve bonnet and the push rod is moved by the spring to open the valve, then the fluid pressure would be effective only to keep the valve closed. Hence if some mishap were to cause the fluid pressure to fail the actuator of the Fitch patent would open the valve and hold it open until the fluid pressure is restored.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-- vide an actuator having the aforesaid desirable characteristics of the Fitch actuator and in addition having the feature of acting under a fluid pressure to open the valve to which it is operatively connected. This is particularly desirable in the case of a valve which should be promptly closed it any unforeseen event occurs 2 which causes the actuating pressure to become inefiective.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in a fluid pressure actuator of my improved type, means for connecting the fluid pressure system through a fixed inside piston unit to a chamber between said piston element and an outside cylinder unit which moves with respect thereto thus avoiding the need for a flexible hose connection.

The best mode in which it has been contemplated applying the principles of my improvements is shown in the accompanying drawings but these are to be deemed primarily illustrative because it is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claim whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention disclosed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an actuator embodying my improvements, showing it applied to a diaphragm valve;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of shown in Fig. 1;

h Fig. 3 is an elevation in medial section through the actuator and valve the actuator illustrating the positions of its moving parts when no fluid pressure is being applied, the diaphragm valve being closed;

Fig. 4 is the same view as shown in Fig. 3 except that the moving parts are in the positions they assume when fluid pressure is applied and the diaphragm valve is open;

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views taken as on lines 5-5 and 66 respectively of Fig. 3.

Referring now moreparticularly to the drawings, the improved actuator is secured to the bonnet II of a diaphragm valve I0 such as is shown in Letters Patent No. 2,412,105 of Decemher 3, 1946. This valve, however, is primarily illustrative of any device having parts which it is desired to be moved by an actuator. specifie cally, the valve here shown is a Grinnell- Saunders diaphragm valve the moving parts of which are not shown with the exception of the valve stem I2. This stem extends through a hole I let in the bonnet I I and connects the other moving parts (not shown) of the valve I!) to the moving parts of the actuator.

For the purpose of this specification wherever the words upper and lower are used they shall refer to the relative vertical positions of the parts, assuming the device to be in the upright position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings. Likewise the words inner? and outer wherever used, shall refer to the horizontal positions of the parts with respect to the axis of the generally cylindrical device.

The diameter of the upper portion of the generally cylindrical valve bonnet II is reduced at IIb and the shoulder I I0 resulting from this reduction in diameter provides an annular seat for a. suitably shaped adapter collar I3 to which the actuator is secured. This adapter collar fits over the reduced upper portion I lb of the valve bonnet I I and is fastened thereto by studs I Id.

The adapter collar I3 is provided with suitable projections I311. on its circumference, which have holes I3b centrally located therein with their axes parallel to the axis of the valve stem I2. Studs I4 and I4 inserted in the holes I3b are screwed into the lower ends of columns I5 and I5, thus securely fastening these columns to the adapter collar I3.

The fixed piston unit comprises a seal plate I6, a seal cup I! and a reinforcing plate I8. These parts of the fixed piston unit are fastened together by a plurality of nuts I9 and bolts 20 the heads of latter being seal welded tothe seal plate I6 to prevent them from turning when the nuts I9 are tightened against the reinforcing plate I8 and to prevent leakage of pressure around the said bolts. Suitable holes Ila and l8a in the seal cup I! and the reinforcing plate I 8, respectively, accommodate the upper ends of the columns I 5 and I5 which are fastened to the fixed piston unit at the seal plate l6 preferably by welding.

As shown in the drawings the columns l5, [5 have their diameters reduced at their upper ends forming necks I 5b, I5'b which extend through suitable holes [6b in the seal plate 16 and are welded to the said seal plate in such a manner that pressure cannot escape through the holes I6b. The rim of the holes I 6b in the seal plate 16 rest on shoulders I50, l5'c resulting from the reduction in the diameters of the columns, said shoulders supporting the seal plate l6 at those points and, together with the welds, securely fastening the columns to the fixed piston unit.

The seal plate I6 is formed with a roundedover edge 16a located adjacent to a reversed curved portion llb on the seal cup [1. The curves of these two adjacent portions create an annular pocket in which is clamped a circular bead 23a at the inner edge of a flexible sleeve diaphragm 23. This sleeve diaphragm extends downward from the bead 23a, turns on itself and then extends upward to another circular bead 23b at its outer edge. This second bead 23b is clamped in another annular pocket created by the reversed curves of suitably formed portions 24a and 25a. The portion 24a is formed in the generally cylindrical side wall of an outer casing 24,-and the portion 25a is formed at the lower edge of the cylindrical side wall of a seal cup 25. Both the outer casing 24 and the seal cup 25 are parts of a movable cylinder unit.

The seal cup 25 of the said movable cylinder unit, the seal plate l6 of the fixed piston unit and the flexible sleeve diaphragm 23 define a pressure chamber 26.

The outer casing 24 and the seal cup 25 are fastened together by nuts 21 and bolts 28 the headsof which are welded to the seal cup 25 to prevent them from turning when the said nuts are tightened and to prevent leakage of pressure from the pressure chamber 26.

A suitable plug 29 is used to block up the hole 25b in the seal cup 25. This hole is the point on the device where fluid pressure would normally be admitted. In the present invention, however, if the fluid pressure were admitted at this hole a flexible hose or other flexible fluid pressure connection would be required, because hole 25b is located in one of the movable parts of the improved actuator. Accordingly, other methods have been devised for admitting the fluid pressure, avoiding the necessity of a flexible fluid pressure connection.

A flanged bottom plate 30 is secured to the lower end of the outer casing 24 by bolts 3| and nuts 32, the latter being welded to the flanges of the bottom plate 30 to prevent them from turning when the bolts 3| are tightened.

A hole 30a is centrally located inthe plate 30 through which hole the stem 33a of an adjusting sleeve bushing 33 extends. The-upper end of the bushing stem 33a is threaded externally to receive a lock nut 34, and the enlarged annular head 33b ofthis bushing has a series of radial holes 330 drilled about its circumference.

A reinforcing plate 35 with a centrally located hole35a to accommodate the adjusting bushing 33 is "interposed between the flanged bottom plate 30 and the head 33b. The lock nut 34 is turned down far enough on the stem 33a to hold the reinforcing plate 35 tightly enough against the flanged bottom plate 30 to prevent needless play while permitting the bushing to be turned when a suitable pin wrench is inserted in one of the radial holes 330. The lock nut 34 is then looked in this position by a locking screw 34a.

The adjusting bushing 33 is also internally threaded to receive the threaded upper end of the valve stem l2. In this manner the element to be actuated is adjustably connected to the movable parts of the actuator, since rotation of the bushing 33 enables the relative position of the valve stem l2 to be adjusted with respect to the movable cylinder unit. The position of the sleeve 33 on the stem 12 also determines the extent of the downward travel of the cylinder unit, which terminates when the sleeve head 33b seats on the reduced portion llb of the valve bonnet.

This adjustment is of double importance in that it insures the valve stem moving downward far enough to seat tightly the diaphragm of the valve .40 on its seat and yet not too far so as to .exert an excessive force on the diaphragm which would, if exerted, cause the diaphragm to be damaged.

Fluid pressure is admitted to and released from the pressure chamber 25 through a hole l5a extending along the axis of the column 15'. The lower end of this column is fastened to one of the projections i301 on the adapter collar 13, by a special fluid pressure intake stud 14'. This special stud is screwed into the lower end of the hollow column I5 Where internal threads have been tapped in the hole I5a to receive it. The body M'a of the special stud, between its head and threaded end, is slightly reduced in diameter and through this narrowed section a hole '22 is drilled perpendicular to the axis of the said special stud. A passageway Mc is also drilled in this special stud along its axis from its threaded end deep enough to join the hole l4b.

A suitable hole I30 is located in the projection i3a to which the hollow column i5 is secured. This hole is drilled perpendicular to the axis of the hole I 3b and enters the latter adjacent to the reduced portion l4'a of the special stud I 4'.

Fluid pressure first enters the improved device at the hole through a suitable pipe connection 36. t then passes into the hole l3b and occupies the space surrounding the reduced portion Ma of the special stud 14'. Because of the space thus created it is possible for the fluid pressure to enter the hole l4b in the special stud, and thenceenter the hole Mc also in the special stud, whether or not the axis of the hole Mb is in alignment with the hole I30 when the special stud is screwed into the hollow column 15'. From the hole Hc in the special stud the fluid pressure enters the passageway l5'a in the column 55 and passes thence to the pres-' sure chamber 26.

Suitablesealing washers 31 are interposed-between the head of .the special stud I 4 and the projection 13a and between the lower end of the hollow column i5 and the projection I311 to prevent leakage of fluid pressure.

A compression spring 38 of sufficient strength to exert the force required of the actuator when no fluid pressure is being applied is interposed between-the flanged bottom plate'tfl of the movable cylinder unit and the lower ends of the bolts '20 of the fixed piston unit. The fluid pressure acting over the efiective area of the movable cylinder unit exerts a force great enough to compress the said spring 38 and obtain the desired travel of the elements to be actuated in a direction opposite to the direction of the travel caused by the spring 38.

Thus the closing force exerted by the actuator is derived from the compression spring and the opening force is provided by the fluid pressure. Should the latter inadvertently fail the result would be that until a repair is made the valve would not be opened. In piping systems where valves are often operated by actuators it is frequently more desirable that a valve close or remain closed in the event of a fluid pressure failure, rather than open or continue open. This is an example of one of the uses to which my improved actuator may be put, illustrating the advantages to be derived from its principle of operation.

I claim:

A fluid pressure actuator for moving a valve element to and from its seat in a valve body; said actuator comprising a movable outer cylinder unit having a generally cylindrical side wall and closed at one end; a fixed inner piston unit concentrically arranged within said movable outer cylinder unit and adjacent to the said closed end thereof; a flexible sleeve diaphragm interposed in the space between the edge of the said fixed inner piston unit and the side wall of the said movable outer cylinder unit, the inner circular edge of said flexible sleeve diaphragm being secured to the fixed inner piston unit and the outer circular edge of the said flexible sleeve diaphragm being secured to the side wall of the said movable outer cylinder unit, the said flexible sleeve diaphragm and the units to which it is secured defining a pressure chamber; fixed supporting columns fastened at one end to the said fixed inner piston unit and adapted to be rigidly supported at the other end, one or the said supporting columns being hollow to provide a passageway; means connected with said passageway for introducing fluid pressure into the said pressure chamber to effect travel of the said movable outer cylinder unit in a direction to expand said pressure chamber, said passageway and said connecting means also serving to exhaust the pressure from the fluid pressure chamber; a bottom plate fastened to the other end of said movable outer cylinder unit having suitable holes to accommodate the said fixed supporting columns which pass through said bottom plate to the fixed inner piston unit adjacent the first mentioned end of the said movable outer cylinder unit; adjustable connecting means centrally located on the said bottom plate for movement with the said cylinder unit; compression spring means interposed between the said fixed inner piston unit and the said bottom plate for efiecting travel of the movable elements in a direction to collapse said pressure chamber when no fluid pressure is applied to the pressure chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,991,663 Delaney Feb. 19, 1935 2,478,575 Fitch Aug. 9, 1949 2,536,000 Bowditch Dec. 26, 1950 

